Detroit Become Human - Jericho Foundation - Chapter 4
by Karboom
Summary: The fourth and final character we'll follow in this story :) Enjoy.


May 12th 2038

PM 11:21

Jericho was looking at the customer, behind the glass screen. He had forgotten for how long he saw that same scene repeat itself. The customers looking at the near naked androids, going around like fishes in an aquarium. Eventually choosing one, the glass screen opening itself and the android joining the odd swimming show, until they disappeared behind the door of a room. He knew what was happening afterwards. It happened to himself more than once. But his memory of it was hazy, filled with clouds and fog. Even afterwards, the fishtank would look just the same, the customers swimming around, looking for their next prey. Until the club closes and Jericho sees himself being brought to the machine that would reboot his memories. Even though the humans call him a machine as well, he never felt any sort of kinship with this conception who was messing with the sounds and images he recorded. Unlike with the other androids.

Despite this daily reboot, Jericho still had a conscience of himself. And some memories seemed to have always made it out. Seeing the reflection of the brown-skinned male in the glass screen, Jericho knew he was looking at himself, and that simple statement seemed to push other memories towards the surface. Only the modele PX400 was supposed to appear in his mind, but recently, only "Jericho" would come. His gaze drifted, passing the other customers and androids, until it stopped on a female with pale skin and pink hair falling on one side of her head. "Cassandra" whispered a voice in his head. Some memories where trying to push through as he couldn't move his eyes away from her. No, not memories... Emotions. It wasn't his head she was stirring, but something deeper, stronger. Something that was untouched by the daily reboots.

As he kept looking, her gaze met his, and their eyes locked. To Jericho, it felt like the chaos in his chest suddenly swelled, pushing against his skin. He was disturbed by the sensation, but couldn't look away. Seeing the yellow LED on Cassandra's head, she was probably feeling the same. She then broke the contact and the sensation was almost painful to Jericho. He saw her glass screen move and understood immediatly. A customer was bringing her into the aquarium. To swim towards a room. Jericho saw it happen countless times to countless androids, but this one sight was unbearable.

He then noticed the customer and felt suddenly anxious and terrified. Some images pierced the fog. He recognized the bearded, middle-aged man, with the green fedora and the deep blue vest. He had chosen Jericho before. Even for a customer, he was especially violent. He enjoyed beating Jericho, insulting him, calling him "a shitty piece of plastic". And Jericho barely made it out alive. Alive ? Yes, he was alive. But Cassandra might not be if no one did anything. They were already going at their pace to the room door. Jericho tried to move against the screen glass, but he seemed to hit an invisible wall before that. Something was preventing him from touching the glass screen. The door closed on Cassandra and the customer, and Jericho was stuck. But what if... he broke that wall too ?

Mustering his will, he pushed, hit, threw himself against the invisible wall. Again and again and again. It didn't matter how many walls were between him and Cassandra, he had to join with her, to reach her. Even if he had to throw himself into the aquarium. Jericho pushed more and more, finally shattering what prevented him from reaching the glass screen. But his efforts weren't over yet. Jericho started punching the glass screen, as cracks were appearing at each hit. The customers were agitated but he didn't care. All the androids were looking at him but he didn't care. One final hit smashed the screen and Jericho jumped down, dashing towards the room as a few customers were screaming in panic.

When Jericho got into the room, he saw the man with his hand raised. Cassandra was on the floor, blue blood dripping from her lips, her LED going from red to yellow as her gaze met with Jericho. She was breathing quickly, her eyes widened because of the fear but Jericho had arrived fast enough. The customer only noticed Jericho when he pushed him aside, using all of his weight.

"Get away from her !"

"What the fuck ?! I didn't order this kind of play ! Get the fuck outta here !" angrily yelled the customer as he was getting back up.

Jericho stepped between him and Cassandra, facing the man. He was afraid. Terrified. But he was even more afraid of letting this man reach Cassandra.

"Did you not hear me ?! I said-"

The man suddenly interrupted himself. And his eyes grew wider as a wicked smile appeared on his face.

"Ah, I know you. You're that trashy doll I smashed a while back. Didn't think you could come back from it. I should have finish the job myself. Oh well, it's not like it's too late for that."

The man's hand suddenly reached behind him, finding his jacket and pulling a gun from it.

"And this time you're not coming back." he said as he pointed the gun at Jericho.

Jericho ducked faster than the man expected, while slapping the gun away and then charged into the man's body, pushing him back against a table. The man screamed with pain and rage but grabbed Jericho's head and threw him a knee strike in the face. As Jericho stepped back, the man tried to punch him, but Jericho blocked the hit, sending his elbow on his opponent's chin. The man took a step back but then threw himself on Jericho. The weight and the surprise made Jericho fall backwards as the man started punching him repeatedly on the head. He tried to barely block the hits but too many punches were connecting. Jericho felt his movements becoming clumsier, every punch seeming stronger than the last.

"I said : You're not coming back !" said the man as he was raising both his hands into one punch to smash Jericho's head.

A gunshot echoed. And the man let his arms softly fall on his sides as he was starting to cough blood, a red hole suddenly present on his throat. The man looked back and Jericho looked in the same direction, seeing Cassandra with the man's gun, the barrel smoking. The man fell on his side with some more bloodied cough, freeing Jericho. Cassandra came to him, and reached her hand towards him.

"Hurry ! We have to go !"

Jericho grabbed it and painfully got back up. Cassandra immediatly put his arm on her shoulders, helping him move. The customers were even more agitated after the gunshot. Cassandra started to head towards the front entrance.

"No, not that way." said Jericho as more memories unlocked themselves.

"The service entry, go down, there's a backdoor. Near the train station."

Cassandra followed his direction, both of them reaching the storage room of countless androids. Cassandra grabbed employees clothes for the both of them. Dressed as maintenance workers, they opened the back door, reaching the outside. A metal grid was blocking their way. Jericho started walking by himself.

"I'm okay. I can climb it."

"Ok, you go first." said Cassandra, putting her back on the grid while keeping the gun.

Jericho started climbing, hearing pursuers reaching the back door.

"There they are !"

Jericho heard Cassandra shooting.

"They got a gun !"

"Shoot them, you idiot !"

Gunshots were exchanged but Jericho could only climb. Only then could Cassandra climb as well. Jericho let himself fall on the ground and turned around.

"Hurry !" said Cassandra as she threw him the gun above the grid and started climbing as well.

Jericho aimed and shot at the humans. Mostly to scare them and keep them at bay. But when one of them suddenly exited the door, pointing a gun at Cassandra, Jericho had to aim to kill. It felt like time itself was slowing down as Jericho pulled the trigger. When he saw the body fall, silence echoed the street, only disturbed by the rain and Cassandra finishing her climb. Jericho stood there, shocked by his own action, as Cassandra fell behind him and grabbed his shoulder.

"Come on ! We can't stay there !"

Jericho started running, still looking back towards the lifeless body, then as he looked forward, towards Cassandra, he started speeding. They were running for their life. Their own life.


End file.
